The San Francisco 49ers quieted the rumors last week when promoting defensive pass game coordinator and nickels coach Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator, looking to fill the void internally after going external last offseason with Steve Wilks.
In addition to promoting Sorensen, the 49ers hired former Los Angeles Chargers Brandon Staley as a defensive specialist, which came after they interviewed him for their defensive coordinator vacancy.
Last season, after a number of interviews, the 49ers ultimately bypassed all of their internal options in favor of former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks, who brought a defensive back background to San Francisco, which was a first at the defensive coordinator position.
While the 49ers saw an uptick in interceptions generated, the defense struggled as the season came to a close, which carried into the playoffs until the Super Bowl.
In fact, it felt like the 49ers were going to move off Wilks regardless of the outcome of the Super Bowl, speaking to the disconnect between him and Kyle Shanahan, as well as with the players.
Now, the 49ers have done a good job of moving on when a fit, be it with a player or a coach, isn’t working, which is what they did with Wilks.
But, they made a mistake at defensive coordinator last offseason, and their hiring of Sorensen last week only amplifies the mistake.
What worked with DeMeco
When hiring Wilks last offseason, not only were the 49ers looking for a change in philosophy from their new defensive coordinator, but they were shying away from their internal options.
San Francisco’s last hire, linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans, was an internal selection, and proved to be a great choice, as he developed through some early mistakes to become the league’s best defensive coordinator, earning him a head-coaching gig with the Houston Texans last offseason.
